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Delitto sulla montagna

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Jesse Morales si è appena laureato e aspira a diventare uno scrittore di gialli. Quando si offre volontario per prestare servizio una settimana sulla vetta del monte Washington, sa già che dovrà lavorare duro. Quello che non sa è che in mezzo alla nebbia troverà un cadavere, disteso tra le rocce, ucciso con un colpo alla testa. La vittima si rivela essere un giovane turista di nome Stuart Warren, allontanatosi poche ore prima dagli amici con cui stava visitando la montagna.

Kyle Dubois, un ispettore di polizia vedovo già da qualche anno, è costretto ad accorrere sulla scena del crimine in piena notte. Kyle e Jesse sono immediatamente attratti l’uno dall’altro, anche se per l’ispettore è difficile prendere sul serio quel pivello fissato con i romanzi polizieschi. Ma Jesse trova un modo per rendersi indispensabile a Kyle, prendendo una stanza presso l’hotel dove alloggiano i parenti e gli amici della vittima e introducendosi nella loro cerchia. Quello che scoprirà potrebbe portarlo a risolvere il caso… o a farsi ammazzare.

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2014

20 people are currently reading
431 people want to read

About the author

Jamie Fessenden

45 books389 followers
Jamie Fessenden set out to be a writer in junior high school. He published a couple short pieces in his high school's literary magazine and had another story place in the top 100 in a national contest, but it wasn't until he met his partner, Erich, almost twenty years later, that he began writing again in earnest. With Erich alternately inspiring and goading him, Jamie wrote several screenplays and directed a few of them as micro-budget independent films. He then began writing novels and published his first novella in 2010.

After nine years together, Jamie and Erich married and purchased a house together in the wilds of Raymond, New Hampshire, where there are no street lights, turkeys and deer wander through their yard, and coyotes serenade them on a nightly basis. Jamie recently left his "day job" as a tech support analyst to be a full-time writer.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
Profile Image for Rosa, really.
583 reviews327 followers
September 15, 2014

Oh, man, this is such a good read. It has a cop, a wannabe mystery writer and the promised murder. Show me a dead body and I'll show you -- well, I won't show you anything but I'll be happy.

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Things to love about this book :

Kyle Dubois, police detective. When we first meet him he's hanging out at home watching The Time Traveler's Wife. When his partner, Wesley, calls him he says he's watching The Hangover. I love this guy. Later, when he and his partner are traveling up a mountain to the scene of the murder, Kyle takes out his Kindle and opens up an Agatha Christie short story. What would he rather be reading? A love story involving a "'straight' rancher widower falling for another man." I really love this guy. Kyle's bisexual and a little nervous about sharing that with those around him, such as his police partner. However one person he didn't hide his bisexuality from was his wife (who died five years before the beginning of this story) -- she knew and thought it was sexy. It's so nice that Kyle has a loving, supportive relationship in his past.

Jesse Morales, recent college grad and wannabe mystery writer. He would probably resent me calling him a "wannabe" mystery writer. He hates that friends and sometimes strangers call him Jessica (as in Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote) because he has an interest in murder mysteries. I love how Jesse works himself into the murder investigation and you know that's going to cause all sorts of yummy tension with Kyle. I love that about 5 minutes after Kyle thinks Jesse has a face like Ingrid Bergman, Jesse thinks Kyle has a smile like Humphrey Bogart.

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The mystery. The mystery isn't super difficult to figure out, though the why may be. But for me that's not the point -- I don't read mystery novels for the "big reveal." I enjoy the journey, the characters, looking for clues and then forgetting to look for clues because I'm so involved in the story. Also enjoyable is how all the suspects are holed up in a fancy hotel which turns the murder mystery into a manor house mystery like you'd see in an Agatha Christie story.

Smexy times. Listen, Kyle's never slept with a man. This is a plot point we've seen a million times, however what makes it different is that Kyle doesn't turn into a porn star (to use Jesse's words) the minute he sucks his first dick. It's hot but he's new at it and it shows. It makes him more vulnerable and the sex even sweeter because of it.

So as stated I really had a good time reading this novel. The writing flowed, there was tension caused by the mystery as well by Kyle and Jesse's relationship, but there was never any overwhelming angst. In other words there is no third act "big misunderstanding." Thank god. (Whoever told writers that it's a requirement is a freakin' LIAR, ok?) The only slight drawback is there are some minor plot threads left unanswered at the end. However, that leaves us wide open for a sequel. Maybe a trilogy? That would be awesome .

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4.25

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Profile Image for Martin.
807 reviews601 followers
January 23, 2019
This was amazing! Jamie Fessenden never disappoints.

It's actually a pretty low-key whodunnit that revolves mostly around a couple of people (suspects) in a hotel.

Things start out on the summit of Mount Washington where Jesse and his friend/ex-boyfriend Steve work as volunteers at the observatory. Steve is a mountain man who loves hiking and stuff, while Jesse more or less just tags along. He's not overly excited about the volunteering stint at the observatory, mainly because Steve is *just* a friend now, so working together for a week cooking and scrubbing plates in the icy mountain weather isn't exactly Jesse's idea of fun.

Murder mysteries, however, are.

And luckily for Jesse (less amazing for the victim), a body is found dead on Mount Washington and the way it looks, the death seems anything but natural.

Jesse tries to bring in his moderate sleuthing skills (which he mainly honed as a writer of mystery short stories), which annoys the detective in charge, Kyle Dubios, who is unwilling to let the handsome 'high school kid' interfere with his investigation.

The romance here is between Jesse and the detective and I really REALLY liked how it developed. It went just in the right direction between age gap romance (and gosh I am so sorry, but for some reason I thought the detective was 47 years old! He isn't. He's only 30, which makes him a youngster himself) and gay first time romance.

I loved Kyle. His past, his attitudes, his natural acceptance of his feelings and his willingness to let Jesse into his life, even though it meant outing himself to his colleague and potentially breaking department regulations more often than not.
I loved that he read gay romance novels and liked cheesy romantic comedies, which made him seem approachable despite being a butch detective who solved murders for a living.

They were so easy and angst-free together and it was fun to see how enamoured Kyle became with Jesse, allowing him to tag along (even while he was working with his partner) during his investigation, which Kyle knew was highly unprofessional, but he was just that smitten with Jesse that he wanted to make use of every second they'd have together, not knowing if their 'murder investigation fling' would last beyond the weekend.

However, when Jesse decides to go 'undercover' among the circle of suspects, Kyle's new-found appreciation for 'the kid' turns into fear for his life.


Their intimate moments were simply amazing and perfectly natural. It's great to have a gay male author behind all this. Jamie Fessenden's work is simply amazing, I have not yet read a single book by him that I did not love.

Not to mention that his books have an amazing psychological spin, featuring characters with - let's call it 'special' - mental conditions. This one is no exception.

I especially liked the characters of the Warren brothers: Stuart and Todd. They were strikingly beautiful, but with a raunchy streak that bordered on the edge of disturbing. They haunted me throughout the book.

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The resolution was amazing too! I am so satisfied after reading this.

What did I NOT like about the story?

There are a few things that I didn't necessarily dislike, but I guess they might bug some readers, like Kyle calling Jesse 'kid' (even though Jesse is 23 himself) or Jesse coming off as a bit of a slut talking about his previous experiences (it certainly isn't his fault that basically ALL the hot guys in this plot at some point rub their naked bodies against him, LOL).

Also the fact that despite meeting the most amazing guy of his life, Jesse still wants to pursue the investigation, endangering himself over and over again?? He should have stayed in Kyle's bed reading a book, not drinking with a bunch of potential murderes who might go all 'Murder on the Orient Express' on him.

And, I guess this needs to go on the PLUS side, I am still disturbed by the resolution of the story. It was cruel, it was psychological and it let us look deep into a dark character's soul, even if on the surface we're dealing with a bunch of drunken kids who try to cope with their miserable lives.

Definitely a recommendation!

5 stars and a favorite!
Profile Image for ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~.
3,595 reviews1,139 followers
December 30, 2019
3.5 stars

Reading and responding to a story is a subjective experience, and while I liked parts of this book, it didn't fully grab me. That has naught to do with Fessenden's writing, which is polished and professional, but my own ingrained ideas regarding What a Romance Novel Should Be.

For one, this book is much more murder mystery than romance, so if you like more who-done-it and less baby-I-love-you, you're sure to like this one.

Jesse, a wannabe sleuth and mystery writer, plays amateur detective and seems to get further in the murder investigation than Kyle, a homicide detective, and his partner. Jesse is only seven years Kyle's junior, but Kyle, who's bisexual and a widower, acts much older.

I adored Kyle's gruffness. The first time he meets Jesse, he decides Jesse looks like Ingrid Bergman. Kyle is a typical "straight" cop, except he watches romantic comedies and reads gay romance novels. Is it any wonder Jesse falls for him?

I liked the banter between Kyle and Jesse. Kyle was abrasive, and Jesse didn't listen. I wanted more of the relationship and less of the mystery, which floundered along and didn't keep my interest. There were no actual suspects, and all the persons of interest seemed to sit around in a hotel room drinking too much and throwing parties. It was so bizarre, it felt surreal.

Jesse makes his attraction for Kyle clear from the start, but the MCs didn't take the full-tilt sexual plunge until 75 percent into the story. This isn't a GFY story, but it is an OFY. Kyle is attracted to men and almost crazy with lust for Jesse, whom he calls "beautiful," but he's gun-shy.

Fortunately, Kyle's first time was well done; all the nooks and crannies were explored. Kyle was tender and sort of in awe of Jesse, and I found the whole thing hot and rather adorable.

So, bottom line: enjoyable read, but I wanted MORE romance, LESS mystery, and a more definitive ending. I like my HEAs, what can I say?
Profile Image for Xing.
365 reviews263 followers
August 29, 2014


Will review later.

Updated 8/29/14:
Rating: 2.75 stars

Let's jump past summarizing the blurb in my own words and go straight into my likes and dislikes, shall we?

I'm not the biggest fan of mysteries. However, mysteries provide an interesting way for characters to interact. And when done right, they can add a certain suspense to the story. Murder on the Mountain held absolutely NO suspense. It was literally: someone is murdered and now let's solve the mystery. I never felt like either of the characters' lives were in danger, nor that there was a time limit to solve it as a second murder victim was very unlikely.

I also wasn't very thrilled with Jesse and Kyle. Their romance was too easy, with very little conflict (I could only think of one: their seven year age difference). The characters felt very uninspiring. It was like the only way the author could make the characters feel different was to make Kyle sound like a 45 year old widow (he's really only 30 years old!) and Kyle feel like an over curious high schooler.

The worst part was the resolution of the murder mystery, which I felt wasn't really due to any sleuthing talents by Jesse, nor anything Kyle really did.

At least the writing was good. While Jesse felt underaged at certain points, he at least had an emotional maturity to him that helped make this easy romance even less complicated (if that was even possible). The pacing was well done, and the length was adequate for everything to fall into place. Any longer and I would have gotten very bored.

Basically, if you're looking for a non-suspensful murder mystery with a romance that has very little conflict, then perhaps you'll enjoy Murder on the Mountain.
Profile Image for Eli Easton.
Author 70 books2,805 followers
August 25, 2014
I really enjoy Jamie's writing, and this book was no exception. He always grabs and holds my attention (Which is something, since I seem to dnf a lot of books these days!). I was looking forward to something a little darker from him after "Billy's Bones" and I was excited to hear he was working on a m/m romance - murder mystery.

I wasn't disappointed. I was engaged in the romance featuring a younger amateur detective and an old, closet cop. There was some nice UST and some plenty of pay off in the steamy department. The mystery too was well-done. I was really on the edge of my seat there toward the end.

Great job, Jamie! Can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for LenaRibka.
1,463 reviews433 followers
August 29, 2014



3,2 stars.

I like mystery.



A gay mystery belongs to my favourite genre. I don't read exclusively mysteries but every time I pick up a new book about an attractive DETECTIVE/PI/FBI-CIA AGENT etc. who investigates a mysterious murder is like coming home for me.




I enjoy the writing of Jamie Fessenden. He always provides the right mixture of a thrilling plot and a romantic love story.

A mystery+Jamie Fessenden! What else could I want?



Though as an old hand, I have my preference for murder mystery and thriller books:

I'm not a big fan of amateur sleuths and wannabe detectives.
I prefer to deal with professionals.

We had a cop here, even two: Kyle Dubois, a widowed state police detective, and his partner, Wesley Roberts. But they both didn't play a big role in the investigation. The main job did Jesse Morales, a recent college grad who aspired to be a mystery writer and who found the missing young tourist Stuart Warren. DEAD.

I had also a feeling that Kyle is much older than 30. He thinks OLD and he behaves OLD. But is an age gap of ONLY 7 years such a big deal?

Though I don't want to spoil you a reading pleasure with my complaints.

If you look for an unpredictable mystery
I had no idea up to the end WHO was it, I had my suspicious but they were wrong!

If you want a tense slow-build romance
The romance part between Kyle Dubois and Jesse Morales was nicely written and pretty hot!


I don't want to bother you further with my personal issues, it was me, not the book. So...just read it.

You should read it.
Profile Image for Kaje Harper.
Author 91 books2,730 followers
September 3, 2014
Rounded up to 4 stars. This book feels much more like a puzzle-mystery than a romance to me, although there is a bi main character falling for his first guy as the other half of the story. I didn't connect with the characters well, which is a very personal thing but for me it took the emotional edge off the story.

The mystery was pretty well done. I didn't guess the reasons for the murder and changed my mind a couple of times about who did it. Because none of the characters seemed really affected by the death, it was possible to approach it more as a guessing game, and on that basis I did enjoy it. I had a few police-procedural issues, and the climax fell back on one of my less favorite tropes. But the writing is clean and the story moved quickly.
Profile Image for F.E. Jr..
Author 19 books256 followers
October 20, 2022
This was an incredible work by Jamie Fessenden.

With three dimensional characters who you love, hate, love to hate, and would personally like to do in, Jamie weaves a world of intrigue high up in the snow capped mountains. This isn't your standard romance, it is a mystery first and watch out Agatha Christie, Fessenden has some serious writing chops.
I wasn't really sure of what to expect from this author but I am totally glad I picked it up. If you love a good book, great characters, an intriguing plot, and mysteries that keeps you turning the pages, Mr. Fessenden provides all of this.
I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Sonia ~Ruber's fiancé in Crystal Court universe~.
358 reviews7 followers
January 7, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! Very cleverly done mystery, and although I kind of suspected who the killer was I couldn't figure out the reason why so I'm very pleased about it! The romance was ok as well, nothing earth shattering, but very nice!
Smooches!
Profile Image for Marte - Thunderella.
784 reviews107 followers
December 25, 2014


**** 4 whodunnit stars ****

--------- spoiler-ish review (not the murderer) -----------

A while back I was weighing two books to read, which was kind of similar I thought. It was Mountain Prey and Murder on the Mountain. I chose Mountain Prey to read first, and I couldn't have chosen more wrong. I dnf'd, read my review here. I was kind of put off Mountains for a while, but after a very positive review from Marco I gave this one a shot. And it couldn't have been more different from Mountain Prey. :D


This was a wonderful (you can say that, don't you? Even though it's murder?) murder mystery with a sprinkle of romance! I have a huge fondness for murder mysteries and this one was great!



We meet the two main characters.  Jesse, an aspiring murder mystery writer who discovers a body on the summit of Mt. Washington where he is working as a volunteer. Kyle Dubois, the police detective investigating the murder. I liked their blossoming interest and relationship. I also liked that it was an age difference and that Jesse, the younger of the two, had to show Kyle how to dance, so to speak. Although, I can never understand why an age difference is often made into such a big deal in stories. Often, one of the character, most likely the oldest, is thinking "no, we can't be together because I'm too old for you". It irks me, since I don't agree that one of two people in a developing relationship can make a big decision like that, without the other having any say, I mean. Thankfully, the "too old for you" was an issue just briefly. Jesse was too tempting ;) *snickers*

This story had one of the most interesting "find-out-who-the-murderer-is" deal I've ever seen! Albeit a bit sad.
I didn't get the impression reading the book that (plot spoiler! Don't click if you doesn't want to know, it doesn't reveal the murderer)



Very recommended if you like a murder mystery with a touch of romance!

Thank you, Marco, for convincing me to try this out. :)
Profile Image for Ami.
6,249 reviews489 followers
June 30, 2015
2.5 stars

Not exactly impressed with the mystery (and the way that it was solved). Nor was I felt inspired by the romance. For the time being, please see Xing's review before I posted mine.

--- UPDATED June 30, 2015 --

It has been almost three weeks since I read this and I still have no idea what to write. Honestly, I already forgotten about this book, it was that forgettable *cringe*. Oh, well, what I could remember was that I thought the characters were BLAH. Kyle, for a 30-year-old, sounded really old. He really didn't impress me as a competent detective. As far as I know (well, by watching TV or reading books), at least as a detective he should've asked alibis from all people's involved, including loved ones ... and Kyle didn't, which struck me as, well, sloppy.

Plus, the conclusion of the mystery was not really based on the successful investigation by Kyle (nor Jesse). Yep, none of these people actually made the correct assumption about who the murderer was. When I read a murder mystery, I am hoping that the HERO actually solves the case.

... and because the characters were so-so, the romance felt uninspiring. And what's up with that Epilogue?!? It was one of the WTF moments
Profile Image for Sushi (寿司).
611 reviews162 followers
April 24, 2019
Secondo libro di Jamie Fessenden che leggo. L'altro era in inglese ed è stato gratis per un po'.
Ancora un volta la mia scelta casuale, anche se attualmente sto prendendo tutti quelli che escono e che non siano una serie in corso, mi ha portato un buon libro. Lucky!!
Per cui se amate Jamie Fessenden ve lo consiglio. Poi come sappiamo gli M/M sono libri soggettivi (come gli Urania). Ciò che piace a me potrebbe far schifo a te e viceversa. 😀
Profile Image for Jenni.
255 reviews41 followers
August 29, 2014
There’s so much to like about Murder on the Mountain: from MCs Jesse and Kyle, to the setting on a remote and creepy mountain, to a murder mystery, to some first-time man love, to a closing with promise. This is the Jamie Fessenden I know and love!

Jesse is a kid—just 23 years old—and aspiring to write mystery novels. He’s cocky and confident in that youthful sort of way we all envy. When a mysterious death happens during his shift/rotation as a cook/dishwasher at Mount Washington, and Jesse happens to find the body, he’s bound and determined to help figure out what went down.

Kyle is a seasoned cop and he takes his job seriously, but he’s doing a lot of internal self-evaluation these days. His wife died five years ago, but he hasn't really thought about moving on...yet. Fact is, Kyle is finding himself more frequently attracted to men. *enter Jesse, stage left.*

I thought the mystery and the romance in this novel went together very succinctly! Never mind if I may or may not have called who-dun-it in the first five and then 25-ish percent. I was totally motivated to move forward and see if my theories panned out. Plus I had to know the why of the crime.

I liked the way Jesse and Kyle formed a bond and partnership, and I saw tiny hearts, stars, cupids, rainbows, butterflies and more over their age difference. Really, be still my heart. ;-) Hmmm. While we’re at it, let me expand on the sexy time. It came late in the story, but it was hot. It was sweet. It was tentative and it was satisfying. It made sense, without being over the top.

Fessenden’s writing is smooth and engaging. I like that he writes what he knows: New Hampshire and Mount Washington shine. He certainly has a knack for world-drawing and for creating an interesting supporting cast. There were some fun and funny things that made me feel like Jesse and Kyle were real; I related to them. I mean: Kyle the cop reads smutty romance on his Kindle but hides it from his coworkers, etc. It’s like we were separated at birth, Kyle. ;-) Jesse is what I’ll call a fledgling detective. Obviously it’s not his profession, and he did frustrate me once or twice with his meddling, but in his sweet, beginner sort of way.

I liked the ending and I was happy with the way the story played out. If you’re a die-hard HEA fan, be warned. This book’s ending isn't clear-cut. That said, I’m looking forward to more from Jesse and Kyle in the future (Fessenden himself says it will happen, so YAY!).
Profile Image for Dee Wy.
1,455 reviews
August 25, 2014
This was so much fun to read! The story is told from twenty-three year old Jesse's POV, a wanna-be crime mystery novelist. Working a crap volunteer job at a mountain-top observatory after finishing college, Jesse gets recruited to help search for a missing man as night comes on and the temperature drops. What he finds is a dead body. Police are called, of course, and he meets Police Detective Kyle Dubois. Jesse sees an opportunity to observe a possible crime scene investigation in person to use as information for his longed for career in writing mystery novels.

When Detective Dubois finds himself attracted to young Jesse (7 year age difference), things start to get very interesting. Jesse manages to worm his way into the investigation in many ways. I really enjoyed Jesse and Kyle together, even though it was a tough go for Kyle to accept after being married for many years to his now deceased wife.

The mystery was so well done, my guess at "who done it" was completely wrong, and I'm guessing it will be for most people who read this story. The slow-build romance was fun to watch, and the prologue (though only a few pages) had me laughing my ass off. Seriously! Great read!

Update: Morning after and I can't get this story out of my head. So I'm having a "what was I thinking" moment and bumping this up from 4 to 5 stars. Also just found out there will be a sequel with author already working on plot bunnies. Can't wait.

Profile Image for Sheri.
1,418 reviews196 followers
August 29, 2014
I really don't know what to say....
BUT!
Xing said it perfectly...here...
Yep, that's exactly how I felt too.
Profile Image for Meep.
2,171 reviews230 followers
August 4, 2018
I'm quitting at somewhere past 70%. Got a good idea of the whodunnit but don't care enough to discover it.

Have been meaning to pick up a Fessenden since reading his short stood out in the 7&7 anthol. but found the writing didn't quite flow here.

The mystery plot revolves a bunch of thoroughly dislikeable characters; all self involved and somewhat incestuous. Even the grieving it's hard to sympathise with.

Jesse wasn't a winner for me, he came across very young and unrealistic; him going to stay in the fancy hotel a seeming immediate magnet for everyone's attention and confidences seemed odd. And the romance is lack lustre I didn't see any connection between them and the heavy baggage Kyle was carrying made it seem unlikely to become long term.
Profile Image for Jamie.
128 reviews301 followers
Read
September 5, 2014
"Murder on the Mountain" is a cozy -- a murder mystery solved by an amateur detective, where all the suspects are gathered in one place. In this case, in a Victorian hotel at the base of Mount Washington.

I did a lot of research into the way a murder on the mountain would be conducted, including sending a list of questions up with a friend of mine who was visiting the summit to stay with the rangers for a week. However, the novel isn't a police procedural, despite Kyle being a state police detective. Just as Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote" somehow infiltrates police investigations wherever she goes, Jesse manages to do the same thing. I would never suggest that the real NH State Police would allow a civilian to tag along on an investigation. Like other cozies, the story is largely about the puzzle.

This is another novel set in my home state of New Hampshire. I spent my early years in Gorham, near the base of Mount Washington, and my father worked at the summit of the mountain. I spent some time up there with him when I was about seven, at least once sealed inside the Observatory for a week during the severe winter weather -- hurricane force winds and temperatures as low as 70 below zero.

The Sherman Adams building is fairly recent, since the Observatory building I remember burned down. Now Mount Washington Park rangers stay at the summit, along with the Observatory staff. They have jurisdiction over any crimes committed on the mountain, though they may call in the State Police Major Crimes Unit for a murder. This, of course, is what they did in the novel.

I set the bulk of the novel at the gorgeous Victorian Era Mount Washington Hotel. When I was a kid, we could never have afforded to stay there -- I just saw it as we drove by. So I used writing this novel as my excuse to indulge my long-held fantasy of staying there for a weekend. My husband and I spent our anniversary there near Christmas, and the hotel was resplendent in more Christmas trees than I can recall. It was gorgeous.

That was also when we stumbled across the fifth floor.... I won't tell you what we found there, but it was exactly as I described it in the novel. ;-)

For those who have wondered about it, yes, I intend to write more mysteries with Kyle and Jesse as the sleuths!

I hope you enjoy "Murder on the Mountain."
Profile Image for Teri.
1,801 reviews
December 22, 2014
4.5 stars
To my darling Santa Elsbeth for gifting this book to me!

and to my stalkee, Marco for the wonderful review and rec

BR with my girls, but I couldn't stop because I had to know who done it, right?!

I think this was very well written. I enjoyed so much that I didn't even care that the romance is more secondary. I was suspicious of everyone (though honestly I always am!), I had moments of "ohmigod" and "ew"--there were more than a few of those. What was it Joel said? "You know, the more I talk to you, the more I realize...we're not very nice people."
Jesse was adorable and smart and sweet, if somewhat crazy.
I enjoyed Kyle as well. I think there is something to be said for characters that just come right out and say whatever they're thinking. Kyle was honest with Joel and I appreciated it.
I liked Wesley too.
There were several lines in this book that I loved.
"Fine. But not one goddamned word about Sparky the Wonder Boy goes on the reports, or I'll wring your neck."
and my personal favorite
"Jesus...Are you guys fucking? I thought we had an understanding!"

My random eyebrow raising quote: "Anyway, I don't care if he was finger-painting with his own jizz." Sorry...I have no excuse for myself. Everyone else went for the Bogie and Bacall stuff...I went for jizz *hangs head in shame*

I would highly recommend this, it's sweet and creepy and I was nervous which just says that I was thoroughly invested in the characters.
I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Anyway, while suspicious of all, I did not have it figured out and was simultaneously surprised and not surprised with the ending.
Profile Image for John Inman.
Author 42 books442 followers
September 4, 2014
Jamie Fessenden has written a fine who-done-it and a gentle, sexy romance. Once again he has mastered the art of not wasting a single word, and I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. He's an auto-buy for me anyway, because I really love the way he writes. This story doesn't change that assessment one little bit. Thanks, Jamie, for another great read. Just so you know, I was convinced all the way through the book that I knew who did it. Boy, was I wrong. Five stars.
Profile Image for Lila.
926 reviews9 followers
August 30, 2014

Ok, this book has actually one of my favorite tropes: Wannabe Sleuth!

How can you not love Wannabe Sleuth Characters? They are small, but selected group of adorable men. Some of them you know, like Tony from Life Lessons series or Jory and their president Adrien English. They keep getting themselves tangled into some murder mystery and drive their cop boyfriends crazy! Bless their trouble-finding curious minds! :D

Well, let me introduce a new member of this group: Jesse Morales (whatever you do, don't call him Jessica Fletcher).
Our guy Jesse just found a body on the summit where he volunteers for a week. For some people that would be a terrible experience, but for Jesse, who wants to be a mystery writer, it also proves to be a great opportunity to learn more about procedural side of murder investigation. The lead detective, Kyle is instantly smitten with Jesse, so he kind of let him tag along. The last thing he expected was for Jesse to check into same hotel as murder suspects and install himself into their way. Seriously, Jesse was lucky Kyle thought he was so damn cute, 'cause that would not fly with me... description
Kyle, as we all established with previous comment is really nice and cool guy who let Jesse get away with stunts like these- totally husband material. He is a widower and he is bi. Now, please, can someone buy/recommend this book to Ella Frank who thinks bi is someone between gay and straight, as a proof that there are authors who actually understand and write bisexual characters? In immortal words of Inigo Montoya, she keeps using that word, but I don't think it means what she thinks it means. So, Kyle is bi and Jesse is first person he is attracted to after his wife passed away. He thinks he is rusty in all these going out things, he thinks he is little too old, too serious for Jesse... Bunch of nonsense- Kyle is good enough to eat. :) They have really cute relationship I enjoyed reading.
Mystery was interesting. It has all elements I like: remote location, closed group of suspects and all of them could have done it. Honestly, I didn't guess who was the killer, but in my defense, I was distracted by Kyle being charming. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The reason for chucking the star: Like i said , we have several suspects and all of them have motive, all of them could have done it. The thing is, I think that some of them were overdone exactly for this reason
Anyway, suspects were effed up group of people and I bet that maids from Mount Washington Hotel found bunch of weird things after they checked out.
I peeked and saw that author is working on sequel. That pleases me. :D
I also demand that from now on every murder mystery involves college boys because they are allergic to towels.

Profile Image for Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥.
1,224 reviews146 followers
October 12, 2014
4 stars.

I was skeptical reading this book seeing as I just came off from reading a murder mystery mm book. It was dud. It was so much procedural garbage that I would rather have just turned on Criminal minds honestly. Well browsing my carousel, I decided to give this one a chance. I really enjoyed this one.

Detective Kyle Dubois is called to Mount Washington Observatory for a murder! A murder you say, yes a damn murder. This is a man that was sitting in his boxer briefs with a bag of popcorn watching The Time Traveler's Wife! I had to re-read the sentence, like WHY?? I immediately thought where is his wife? I was laughing. Kyle is a 30 yr old detective and widower. He's not closeted per say, just waiting on the right guy. Well he runs into Jesse Morales. Jesse was the person that found the body and wants to be a mystery write( sidenote look into Agatha Christie whose name is continuously getting mentioned>

I loved there first meeting and attractions towards each other. The murder mystery was really good. I would have never figured it out. Hell the person who died was kinda a psychopath so good riddance. I don't know I really liked this story.
2,922 reviews15 followers
September 6, 2014
Loved it! More mystery than romance, no sex overload, great writing. There was a twist close to the end that really surprised me - not your average murder mystery.

I'm not ready to let go of these MCs!
Profile Image for Anke.
2,506 reviews97 followers
September 1, 2014
Great read! Loved it from beginning til end, well developed story around the murder and great chemistry between Kyle and Jesse. Wouldn't mind to read more about them.
Profile Image for Andi.
46 reviews4 followers
August 26, 2014
Jamie Fessenden is an author with considerable range. The author of such books as the dark, intense, and beautifully nuanced Billy's Bones and the lyrical supernatural mystery Murderous Requiem, both of which I loved, he has now given us a contemporary procedural mystery with a twist (or several). Jesse Morales wants to be a mystery writer, and when he stumbles into the middle of a murder mystery, he can't resist the chance to learn about the inner workings of a police investigation. It doesn't hurt that the detective in charge hits all of Jesse's buttons. The detective, Kyle, is a widowed bisexual who finds Jesse equally appealing. But Kyle is a worried man. Worried he is too old for Jesse; worried his career might suffer if he is openly involved with another man; and ultimately worried that Jesse's fascination with the mystery and his impulsiveness might put him in danger. Jesse manages to work his way into the main suspect pool--the victims friends and family. He might learn something useful. Then again, he might learn too much.

The murder suspects were an intriguing bunch who all had dangerous secrets, and the investigation took many twists and turns that kept me guessing.I love when a mystery does that. And then there was the other mystery--was Kyle going to be able to get past his worries and take a chance on a relationship with Jesse? Or was Jesse going to get himself killed first?

The New Hampshire setting was wonderful, and the characters were all vividly drawn. I loved the dynamic between Kyle and Jesse, and between Kyle and his grumpy partner. All in all this was a fun read for any mystery lover who likes a nice dose of romance and sexual tension along the way.
Profile Image for ttg.
451 reviews162 followers
October 2, 2014
3.5 - Quick review since read it a few weeks ago. Enjoyed; would read more if there were some. I found the reveal a little anti-climactic, but a fun mystery.
Profile Image for antonia🫧.
498 reviews2 followers
May 6, 2024
this was such an interesting and good book!

it was kind of boring in the beginning but it gets better.

obviously what i liked the most was the ending. the truth being revealed like it was was amazing and unique.

i feel sorry for todd, he wasn't actually an asshole and he did love his brother so much.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for El Ma.
428 reviews5 followers
February 12, 2019
sehr positive 4,5* :-)

Ist euch das auch schon passiert, ihr fangt an ein Buch zu lesen und denkt euch schon auf den ersten Seiten, boah die Protagonisten gehen gar nicht oder mein Gott sind die süß oder aber auch so wie hier, dass man in ein Buch – so wie in seine Lieblingsjogginghose – hineinschlüpft, sich wohl fühlt und die Hauptcharaktere mag. Einfach so, ohne dass man es an irgendetwas festmachen kann oder die Charaktere bis dahin irgendetwas groß dafür getan haben . Genau das ist hier passiert. Egal ob Jesse oder Kyle, die beiden sind grundsympathische Männer, die sich auf den ersten Blick hin zueinander hingezogen fühlen.

Da ist Kyle, der still für sich immer noch um seine Frau trauert und bis er auf Jesse trifft, sich noch nicht wirklich mit der Möglichkeit einer neuen Partnerschaft beschäftigt hatte. Er ist überrascht, als sich beim ersten Blick auf Jesse seine alten und lange versteckten “Gelüste” auf einen Mann wieder bemerkbar machen.

Jesse ist ein junger Mann, der seinen Weg noch sucht und für sein Leben gerne Krimiautor werden möchte. Als er oben auf dem Berg das erste Mal auf Kyle trifft, ist er fasziniert von diesem Mann, dass dieser auch noch Detektive bei der Polizei ist, ist das Sahnehäubchen obenauf für ihn.

Ich bin kein großer Fan von Kriminalromanen, aber dieser Plot trägt einen so selbstverständlich durch diese Geschichte, dass man gar nicht drüber nachdenkt, dass man dieses Genre eigentlich gar nicht mag *g*. Wie gesagt, diese beiden Männer gleichen vieles aus .

Als Kyle dann den “Mord am Berg” aufklären muss, kommt dies für Jesse wie gesagt in zweierlei Hinsicht wie gerufen. Zuerst einmal darf er in der Nähe dieses tollen Mannes bleiben und dann ist da ja auch noch dieser Mordfall, den er sehr gut für seine Hintergrundrecherche “brauchen” kann. Als er sich jedoch immer weiter in diese Geschichte und den Täterkreis hineinbegibt, gerät er selbst in Gefahr .

Die Geschichte ist klasse erzählt, die einzelnen Protagonisten wirklich hervorragend beschrieben und der Handlungsstrang (soweit ich das als Krimi-Laie beurteilen kann) sehr gut aufgebaut – inkl. einem sehr guten Spannungsbogen.

Zwei klitzekleine Kleinigkeiten hätte ich aber dennoch anzumerken *g*. Doch, es gibt ein Happy End und es gibt einen Epilog. Dieser ist wirklich nett, aber nicht das, was ich gerne gelesen hätte… Jahaaa, ich weiß, ich bin nervig ;-), aber ich hätte zu gerne gewusst (so vielleicht ein Jahr später) ob Jesse es wirklich geschafft hat, seinen Krimi zu veröffentlichen und das zweite ist, sooo oft, wie Kyle betont hat, dass er “wesentlich” älter ist als Jesse, wäre ich fast mal schreiend von meinem Reader weggelaufen. Manchmal dachte ich er wäre Mitte 4o und nicht grade mal 30 Jahre alt.

Tja, normalerweise gäbe das Abzüge in der B-Note ;-), aber Kyle hätte bei mir noch ganz andere Sachen anstellen dürfen, ich hätte sie ihm verziehen

Ein besonderes Augenmerk möchte ich auf die Tatsache legen, dass Kyle ja schon einmal verheiratet war und zwar mit einer Frau. Ich fand es toll, wie selbstverständlich in dieser Geschichte mit dem Thema Bi-Sexualität umgegangen wurde. Es war – außer Kyles Bedenken, was der Kollege dazu sagen würde, dass er jetzt einen Mann gut findet – kein großes Thema zwischen ihm und Jesse.
Profile Image for Mathilda Grace.
510 reviews
January 24, 2017
Was für ein klasse Buch. Da findet Student Jesse während eines Praktikums in den Bergen einen Toten, verknallt sich in den ermittelnden Cop und spielt dann heimlich Privatdetektiv, um den Mörder zu finden, was Kyle (der Cop) so gar nicht lustig findet.

Die beiden sind ein tolles Paar. Kyle ist Witwer und vom ersten Moment an von Jesse fasziniert. Aber da er mit Männern bisher nur in der Theorie Sex hatte, braucht er eine Weile, um sich näher an Jesse heranzuwagen. Er ist nervös, hat ein schlechtes Gewissen und auch Angst, was mit seinem Job wird, wenn er sich als Bi outet. Jesse hingegen ist out, macht kein Geheimnis aus seiner Faszination für Kyle und dann ist da noch der Tote.

Und die Geschichte hinter dem Mordopfer ist so verwirrend aufgezogen, dass es bis zum Schluss braucht, um dahinter zu steigen, wer den Mann ermordet hat. Es geht um Eifersucht, Geld und jede Menge Gefühle auf mehreren Seiten. Die ganze Gruppe um den Ermordeten ist dermaßen unsympathisch und zum Teil auch ernsthaft psychisch krank, dass ich mich so manches Mal gefragt habe, warum es nur einen Toten im Buch gibt. Bis zum Schluss, wo ein Trinkspiel die Wahrheit ans Licht bringt und für einen weiteren Toten sorgt.

Wirklich super erzählt. Ich liebe das Buch, daher bekommt es auch die volle Punktzahl von mir, zusätzlich zur dicken Leseempfehlung.

Zusätzlich gibt’s wieder ein dickes Dankeschön für den Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
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